Umeda's Life Crisis
by MyDirtyLittleSecret
Summary: Somehow, Umeda has found his life has become a monotonous cycle.


**A/N:** This was mostly written last year in July right before my 29th birthday. RL was sucking (honestly, it kinda still is). I'm staring down the barrel of 30 wondering what the hell happened to my life. Last year though, there was this crush of feeling like everything I had worked towards was useless. I suppose you could call it depression. I dunno. Anyways, this fluffy piece wrote itself as I struggled with my own feelings about turning 29. I hope you enjoy this weird excuse of an internal self reflection.

 **Umeda's Life Crisis**

 **By: MyDirtyLittleSecret**

You know I'm not one to break promises,

I don't want to hurt you but I need to breathe.

At the end of it all, you're still my best friend,

But there's something inside that I need to release.

Which way is right, which way is wrong,

How do I say that I need to move on?

You know we're heading separate ways.

And it feels like I am just too close to love you,

There's nothing I can really say.

I can't lie no more, I can't hide no more,

Got to be true to myself.

And it feels like I am just too close to love you,

So I'll be on my way.

Too Close- Alex Clare

/

At some point Umeda Hokuto's life had settled into a monotonous rhythm. Everyone knows at some point in one's adult life that will happen. His routine went something like, 'get up, eat, get on the train, go to work, work, eat, go home, eat, and go to bed'. Shower in the morning, Rinse, repeat. Ugh. He had hoped this tedium would never happen to him. Frankly, being an adult sucked. It was not as glamorous as his teenage self had fantasized it to be. In fact, his teenage self would mostly likely be the little shit that sneered and laughed at his trivial adult life. What was the point of any of it?

" _Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need. We're the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our Great War's a spiritual war... our Great Depression is our lives."_ Tyler Durden informed Umeda as Fight Club played in the background on his living room TV.

It was all suddenly getting a little too real.

Fuck.

He was depressing himself.

Was this what happened when you turned 29? You have an existential life crisis and wonder what the fuck you've been doing with your life for the past 29 years? Specifically, considering the past ten that involved you learning how to adult in order to give back to a society that sucked all the life out of you.

" _We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars. But we won't. And we're slowly learning that fact. And we're very, very pissed off."_ Tyler Durden finished professing.

Umeda wasn't pissed off. He was tired. He was sick of this tedious life that somehow seemed to have grabbed ahold of him. He clicked off the TV, because he couldn't bear to hear anything else from Tyler Durden's to damn knowing mouth. Besides it was bar night anyways. There was always excitement in seeing Ryoichi…when he bothered to show.

/

Umeda watched the news anchor report her top story on the TV by the bar. He and Ryoichi hadn't said more than two words in a sentence together. Oddly enough, Umeda didn't care. Normally, he'd be obsessing about what the handsome bastard was thinking. Their hands brushed and Umeda felt nothing. The lack of sensation was so startling that he looked over sharply. Ryoichi glanced over at him curiously.

"What?" his best friend asked before taking a swig of his beer.

Umeda blinked and looked down at his hand again. Every touch from Ryoichi was supposed to be thrilling. Before something warm and bright would buzz down his nerve endings every time he came in proximity to the darkly handsome man. He wondered when the last time that had happened. He couldn't remember. Something like horror began to curl in the pit of his gut.

"Seriously, Hokuto, what the fuck?" Ryoichi reached over to push him on the shoulder.

Again, Umeda felt nothing. Without thinking about it, he grabbed Ryoichi's hand and clasped it tight. For a second, Ryoichi resisted and tried to pull back. He caught the look on his friend's face then abruptly stopped moving.

Umeda stared down at their clasped hands. It felt warm, but awkward. Nothing else. The thrill was gone. His eyes rose to catch Ryoichi's in an intense look that held dawning realization. "Why do we bother? How long have we done this and nothing has changed?"

Ryoichi pulled his hand back. Umeda didn't try to hang on. "Because we are friends. This is what friends do."

"But you know how I feel about you," Umeda found himself saying. Years of dancing around his feelings and then suddenly there it was. "You've never said anything about it. We come to the bar and we drink. Nothing changes. Is it ever going to? Do you care about me at all?"

His best friend snatched up his beer to chug down the last fourth of the bottle. "I care."

"But not like I do…did," Umeda corrected as he looked down at his hand.

"What now things have changed with you?" Ryoichi sounded a little angry.

Umeda sighed. "Yeah." He curled his fingers in towards his palm. "Yeah, I think they did…or have. Maybe a while ago. And I just didn't notice."

Ryoichi slammed the beer bottle down, startling the other man. "So what then?"

"I dunno," Umeda answered, setting his own drink down carefully. "I just…I don't feel like I used to. Fuck, I don't even…I don't even know what I feel about anything anymore." He dropped his head into his hands. "I think I may be having a mid-life crisis."

The other man's anger instantly faded. "You're turning 29. Not 39."

"I know that. But that means next year, I'll be 30. My glorious 20s will be gone. When's the last time I went out and partied? I seem to find an excuse more often than not to stay in even when my old college friends ask me out. I've gotten boring." He slid down his seat a little.

"You're being melodramatic," Ryoichi rolled his eyes.

"Of course I am!" Umeda snapped at him. "It's what I do! But that doesn't change that I don't feel anything for you anymore. It's gone…" It felt like being hit in the chest with a baseball bat. It hurt, but for the wrong reason. Not one he had expected. It wasn't from a broken heart. It was from an apathetic one. He dropped his hands to stare across at Ryoichi, who was regarding him with a distantly hurt expression. "What now you're upset?"

Ryoichi scowled. "Do you think I am so pathetic that I took some sick pleasure in having you hanging after me?"

Umeda quirked up an eyebrow and just gazed back at the other man.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Ryoichi grit his teeth.

"You always were kinda twisted." The doctor smiled crookedly. "It's part of why I loved you." Ryoichi stood up abruptly. He threw down several bills worth of yen before grabbing his jacket. Umeda snagged his sleeve before the other man could walk away. "You're still my best friend. That won't ever change."

A little of the anger bled out of Ryoichi's expression, but not all. "I'll see you later."

"Later." Umeda agreed, letting go of his friend's shirt. He watched the other man walk away without feeling a shred of guilt for what had taken place. In fact, he felt oddly relieved. Maybe he'd been avoiding this confrontation for a long time, and just hadn't realized it. Either way, he couldn't regret what had happened. It was better for both of them to move on with their lives. If Ryoichi had wanted to be with him then something would have happened by now. Whatever twisted reason the other man had for trying to keep Umeda strung along was Ryoichi's issue to get over now.

Umeda stayed at the bar for a while, drinking beer and smoking his cigarettes. The occasional man would wander over to talk with him, but he was in no mood to indulge any of them. Typically, he would have brought one of them home. Tonight he just didn't feel like it. He smirked at his own melodramatic attitude before finally closing out his tab before heading home.

/

See the thing about Akiha is that Umeda usually can hear him coming. He's like a bull in a china shop. The doctor can tell he's coming from a mile away (except for the few times the blond had caught Umeda napping). That's why Umeda was usually ready with a projectile before Akiha's stupid face graced his clinic door.

Right now, Akiha was probably seconds from opening the door. Umeda could feel it like Spiderman's spider sense. Umeda picked up his empty coffee mug with a growl and went to chuck it at the annoying blond just as he burst through the door. The doctor paused before he had raised it more than a few inches from the desk. Akiha froze mid-duck and looked at him furtively. The doctor studied the cup for a moment before setting it calmly back down.

"You're not going to throw that at me?" Akiha gaped in disbelief.

"No," Umeda replied evenly. "I've lost to many good coffee mugs that way. And I have no idea why I chuck things at you. I mean it's satisfying…on a base level. But really, why?"

The photographer gave Umeda a concerned look. "Are you sick?"

The doctor smirked. "Yes."

"Maybe you need my special brand of love then!" Akiha's bright smile made the doctor blink. Were those sparkles around the photographer's head? He really was losing his shit. Umeda made no move to stop the other man either as he bounded across the room. Akiha threw his arms around Umeda's shoulders and hugged the doctor. Akiha tensed up, waiting for the inevitable explosion. After a moment of pure silence, the photographer drew back. "Senpai?" Umeda had a contemplative look on his face.

Akiha was starting to get really worried.

"That actually wasn't that bad," Umeda remarked in a somewhat surprised voice.

"Really?" The photographer looked searchingly down at the other man's face.

Umeda glanced up and nodded. Akiha let go completely then shuffled backward a step.

"Are you going insane?" Akiha asked seriously.

"No, I am having a life crisis," the doctor answered back calmly. "I even told Ryoichi I don't love him anymore."

Akiha dropped like someone had cut his legs out from under him into the chair behind him. His rear made a rather loud thunk noise on impact. Umeda's lips twitched upwards in amusement. "What?" Shock spread across his pretty features. The look made Umeda huff a laugh.

"Yeah, how about that shit?" Umeda sat back, crossing his legs at the ankles and resting his entwined fingers on his stomach.

"So…you gave up?" The photographer inquired carefully.

"Nah, I just realized the spark I used to feel is gone." The doctor replied.

Akiha seemed perplexed. "Doesn't that bother you? I think if I woke up tomorrow and realized I didn't love you, it'd upset me a lot."

"It does bother me. It kinda feels like something has been stolen or drifted out of sight before I even thought to look for it." Umeda sighed. He reached over to twiddle with a pen on his desk. "I feel empty."

The photographer was silent for a moment as he contemplated the man across from him. "Go on a date with me." He proclaimed abruptly.

Umeda blinked slowly. "Why?"

"Why not?" Akiha shrugged. "We have never actually hung out. We aren't even considered friends except in the vaguest sense of the word. I love you…but I feel like I hardly know anything about you."

The doctor looked a little taken aback. "You make a good point."

"I mean you can say no if you really hate me, but you seem tired of all the games and whatever. Maybe things slipped away with Ryoichi because you both didn't connect anymore. I mean when was the last time you two really talked about anything important?" Akiha asked curiously.

"I don't even know," Umeda responded honestly. He tapped the pen in his hand against the desk top a few times as he pondered Akiha's proposition. He was tired of the tedium. Akiha was never boring. Maybe this was exactly what he needed. "Fuck it, why not? Let's go out. What did you have in mind?"

Akiha marveled at Umeda's consent. "Really?"

"Yeah, sure." The doctor replied with a shrug.

"What about tomorrow night?" The photographer jumped to his feet as the typical Akiha excitement began to take over. "Dinner and drinks! I know this awesome little place!"

Umeda nodded. "Ok, after I get off work."

"Perfect! I'll pick you up! I have to go home and prepare!" Akiha clapped his hands together before bounding for the door. He paused half way out and spun back around. "You are serious, right?"

"Yes," the doctor answered simply. He huffed in amusement as Akiha nearly skipped out of the door.

"I will see you tomorrow!" The blond's voice drifted back through the door before his footsteps faded away down the hall.

Umeda suddenly realized that was the longest conversation he had ever had with Akiha. The second thing he noticed was he had been smiling at Akiha's antics. Holy shit. When had that happened? Weirdly enough he also felt somewhat excited himself about tomorrow night's date.

Huh.

/

Umeda sat out on the bench outside of his apartment complex, smoking, while he waited for Akiha to show up. He'd be damned if he let the blond anywhere near his actual apartment yet. Only his fuck toys saw the inside of his apartment, well mainly his bedroom, and then were thrown out immediately after Umeda was done with them. He didn't allow others to spend any significant amount of time inside his abode. That implied there was something more to what he wanted besides sex. That was never the case…except maybe once or twice. Akiha had not earned the right to pick the doctor up at his door yet.

When Akiha pulled up to the curb in his VW beetle, Umeda couldn't hold back his laughter. The blond looked ridiculous crammed into such a small car. The baby blue color just made the whole picture even more hilarious. That sight alone had made the entire evening worthwhile in his opinion. Umeda had forgotten about that stupid car. He hadn't seen it in ages.

"Don't laugh at my Bug! I love her!" Akiha warned as he unfolded himself from the driver's seat.

"You look like you stole Barbie's car. You should give it back. I'm sure she missed it." The doctor teased, stubbing out his cigarette before throwing it away in the nearby garbage can.

Akiha looked insulted. "I worked hard for her! She's my pride and joy." Even so, he opened the door for the doctor to get in.

Umeda shook his head as he slid into the seat. He waited for the blond to close the door, and get back in the car on the other side. "I won't say anything about why it reflects your personality so well."

"What's that supposed to mean?" The photographer frowned suspiciously.

"Whatever you want it to mean," the doctor replied as he fastened his seatbelt.

Akiha's bright smile was back in a second. "I will take it to mean that I am a fun, quirky individual."

"Of course you will." Umeda found himself smiling back. He blinked in surprise and glanced away.

They didn't go very far, maybe only a couple of blocks, before Akiha pulled over and parked. Umeda gazed in befuddlement at the tiny establishment that was crammed in between two massive business buildings. It looked like the tiny restaurant had been built around them then forgotten in the looming shadows. It had a warm, welcoming mom and pop feel to it with a front door that stood open inviting in customers. He had no idea how he never heard of this place. He wasn't that far from home. Umeda practically dove out of the car when Akiha opened the door as the smell of traditional Japanese food hit his nose.

"I remembered how much you like traditional Japanese food." Akiha laughed, shoving his hands into his pockets and following behind his date.

Umeda paused to glance back at the blond. "I mentioned that once back at Osaka High years ago in the cafeteria, and I didn't even know you were nearby."

The photographer blushed a little at the doctor's sudden undivided attention. "You told Ryoichi this kind of food reminded you of your mom's cooking when you were home sick."

Umeda felt himself smiling before he was aware of it. Akiha was being sweet. The careful choice in restaurants spoke highly of the man's romantic side. He had really gone through a lot of effort to find somewhere the doctor would be pleased to go. No one had ever done that for Umeda before; probably because he never did dates. And Ryoichi would never have thought to do this for Umeda…ever.

"Thank you," the doctor said sincerely.

Akiha cleared his throat and his blush darkened before he hurried to usher Umeda through the door. They were greeted by an older lady that looked like Umeda's grandmother before she passed away some years ago. She was kind as she led them to their table and handed them the menu.

"Akiha-san, so nice to see you here with a friend," the old lady teased.

The photographer grinned brightly. "Mama-san, I wanted to share my favorite place with Umeda-sempai."

"Ah…the famous Umeda-san. I have heard a lot about you," Mama-san remarked with a gleam in her eyes.

Akiha's expression suddenly became very guilt and embarrassed. Umeda arched an eyebrow at his date in question. "I may have gotten a bit drunk one night and talked about you a bit."

Mama-san chuckled. "A bit, he says. I expected you to be glowing when you walked in."

Umeda smirked. "I left my glitter at home tonight."

"Well, never mind. I can see why Akiha-san talks about you. Such a handsome face and beautiful eyes," she praised.

The doctor felt a warm feeling curl in his chest. Normally, he hated people mentioning his eyes. It made him think of his creepy ageless parents. But this little old woman was so kind, and underhandedly blunt that Umeda liked her.

"Mama-saaaan," Akina whined in embarrassment.

"Now what would you like to drink, Umeda-san," Mama-san ignored her repeat patron in favor of the new customer.

"Sake. The whole bottle," Umeda ordered without a glance at the menu.

Mama-san looked distinctly amused. "Will it be one of those nights?"

The doctor grinned. Oh, he liked her a lot. "We'll see."

Akiha licked his lips nervously. "An extra glass, Mama-san."

"Go slow this time, neh?" She winked before leaving to get their drinks.

"You must have left quite an impression, you sloppy drunk," Umeda provoked.

The blond scowled. "It was one time. And I love you. It's hard not to talk about you."

Umeda did not grace that comment with a response. Instead, he turned to the menu to decide what meal he wanted for the evening. Mama-san returned a moment later bearing a tray with two small cups and a bottle fine Sake. After arranging the cups and bottle expertly on the table, she turned her attention back to her customers.

"Now, what have you decided for dinner?" She inquired with interest.

"I will have saba tatsutaage with edamame, corn salad, and miso soup," Umeda ordered promptly, then presented his menu to the older woman with a flourish.

She smiled in approval as she took it. "Well, quite a choice of flavors."

Akiha tapped his lip as he tried to make a quick last minute decision on his dinner choices. "I think tonight, Mama-san, I will have your fantastic Shabu Shabu, tamagoyaki, satsumiamo Amani, and miso soup."

"Your sweet tooth got the better of you again, I see," she chuckled.

"You know me so well, Mama-san," Akiha grinned, handing her the menu.

She left them to go place their orders.

"So sweet foods are still your thing, huh?" Umeda queried as he poured both of them a cup of sake. He sipped it and sighed in delight. It was the good sake.

The photographer shrugged. "I doubt I'll ever get over it."

The rest of the evening passed by in light banter, easy conversation, and seem deep discussions involving their passions (photography and sports medicine). Somewhere in the middle of Akiha telling a hilarious story of a photoshoot gone awry, the doctor watched the blond gesticulate wildly and in the middle of a laugh felt his heart thud heavy in his chest.

 _Well, fuck,_ Umeda thought. Why had he never noticed the way Akiha's eyes shined when he was happy? The sun kissed color of his hair was glowing under the soft yellow lighting. The photography was beautiful. He could finally see it now that he wasn't so focused on being agitated and chucking things the second Akiha's face came into view.

Umeda had been incredibly apathetic about his life the last several months. After only a few hours, Akiha had sparked the life back into him. Umeda hadn't had this much fun, smiled this much, and laughed so hard in more weeks than he could remember. The love for Ryoichi had slipped away and monotony had overcome his life, because he'd let it. But Akiha always was a source of intense feeling for Umeda, whether negative or positive. The one person who constantly inspired a response out of him had been in his life this whole time— unacknowledged.

"Sempai?"

The doctor blinked. "Sorry, what?"

"You spaced out," Akiha smiled, but his eyes looked worried. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Finish the story. I wanna know how you pulled off the rest of that photoshoot without makeup or wardrobe for your models," Umeda grinned, pouring more saki into his cup.

Akiha's smiled widened into a more sincere one. "It was quite a feat. One you'll appreciate!"

By the end of the dinner, Umeda's sides were aching from laughing and his cheeks hurt from smiling. It was the best night he'd had in a very long time.

/

"You're seriously gonna walk me to my door?" Umeda quirked up an eyebrow in response.

The photographer grinned. "Yes. I'm a romantic. I like to do this for my dates."

The doctor hummed. "When's the last time you did?"

Akiha bit his lip. "Honestly, for my ex-wife."

Umeda shook his head to cover the smile that was trying to crawl across his lips. "Fine, Mr. Romantic. Walk me to my door." He opened the door and climbed out of the car.

The photographer scrambled out of the other side and hurried over to Umeda's side.

"You are not holding my arm," the doctor warned the other man. "I draw the line there."

"Can I-?"

Umeda cut his eyes over sharply.

"Never mind." Akiha looked slightly chagrined. He walked happily beside the doctor with a bounce in his step. He seemed pleased just to be able to stay with Umeda for a few minutes longer. He followed the doctor into the elevator. "How long have you lived here?"

"Since I started at Osaka," Umeda tucked his hands into his jean pockets. "It was the closest place I could find for my meager salary at the time. I've gotten a raise since then and I could move to a better place if I wanted to, but this place feels like home. All my neighbors know me. Hell, Grandma Hisaki makes me dinner at least once a week."

Akiha chuckled. "Why?"

"I think she believes I'm starving myself or something. I don't argue. Her food is amazing," Umeda grinned. "I don't turn down free food."

"It sounds like a warm, welcoming place to live." Akiha sighed in envy. "My apartment is so lonely." He gave Umeda a puppy eyed look in a truly pitiful fashion.

Umeda gave him a flat stare. "Maybe you should stop being so annoying to your neighbors."

"Aw, no sympathy." Akiha whined in mock sorrow.

"None."

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open to the third floor. Umeda strode out with easy assurance. Akiha hurried after him to catch up. Umeda slipped his keys out of his pocket, stopping at the apartment at the end of the hall, and quickly unlocking the door. When he was done, he turned around to eye a nervous looking Akiha. He smirked and leaned back against his door.

"Do your romantic notions extent to getting a kiss on the first date?" The doctor asked coyly.

Akiha plastered on a bright smile. "Only if the other person is willing."

"I am willing. And you have ten seconds to get over here and kiss me before I slam a door in your face," Umeda's smirk widened.

The photographer's mouth gapped open in shock.

"10, 9, 8, 7-mmm," Umeda sighed into the other man's mouth.

At first the kiss was chaste merely from Akiha jumping forward to get his kiss before it was too late. Then something seemed to click in Akiha's head as he realized he was finally kissing the man he'd been in love with for years. A desperate little whine escaped him before he reached up to frame Umeda's face in his hands, and tilt the doctor's head to the side to deepen the kiss. Umeda allowed himself to be moved as Akiha stepped in closer to slot their bodies together.

Umeda found himself backed up against his door being kissed in earnest. He didn't mind one fucking bit. The second Akiha had deepened the kiss something had sparked along his nerves that he hadn't felt in a while. For Umeda, sex had always been enjoyable and lust like a lightning strike when he slept with a new person—which was fun. It was over just as quickly as the dirty sex it induced. This spark though was a rare find. It was a like a slow electric current that danced along his spin, fired through all his nerves, and concentrated in his cock like a tuning fork. It was something he'd felt every time he used to touch Ryoichi. This was what he missed from the last several fucks he'd had. Who'd have fuckin' thought he'd find it again in Akiha of all people?

He reached back, fumbling for the door handle a moment, and finally managing to twist it so the door swung open. Both of them stumbled back a step as their support gave out. Umeda easily caught hold of Akiha's jacket, slung the blond around, before kicking his door shut. Akiha gasped as his back was slammed against the hallway wall. Umeda swallowed Akiha's moan as he caught the blond's mouth with his own. Akiha whimpered as Umeda's hands slid up under his shirt as the doctor's tongue swept into his mouth.

Akiha broke the heated kiss as he grabbed hold of Umeda's hands to stop their upward travel along his abs. His body quivered as lust and adrenaline rushed through him, protesting the sudden loss of all stimulation. "Wait! Wait!" Akiha gasped.

Umeda pulled back, but did not drop his hands. "What?"

"It was just supposed to be a kiss good night! I wasn't...I'm not-!" The blond struggled to explain.

"I get the romantic stuff, Akiha, but I am not a chaste person. "Umeda explained bluntly. "If I like someone, I sleep them."

Akiha drew in a shaky breath. "I don't...wait, you like me?" His eyes seemed to shine with such hope that Umeda's heart gave a painful tug in his chest.

 _Fuck_ , he thought. Why had he never noticed how beautiful the blond's eyes were? Something warm coiled in his gut. "Yes, Akiha, I like you."

Umeda leaned back in to try to kiss the blond again.

"Wait! Wait! Wait!" Akiha pressed his hands to the doctor's chest to stop him. "I don't want this to be a one-time thing! I love you! I want to be with you!"

The doctor sighed softly. "Akiha, I'm offering you a chance to be with me. Maybe it's only for tonight, maybe it's more. I don't know. But if someone offered me a chance to sleep with the person I loved even if it was for only a night, I'd take it. Because it might be all I ever get. At least, it'd be something to remember!"

Akiha curled his fingers into Umeda's shirt to pull him close again. "I want this. I want you. I just...don't want to ruin it."

"Fuck that, Akiha. It's a yes or a no question? I'll make it simple," Umeda took his hands off the blond. "Do you want to sleep with me tonight?"

The blond sucked in a sharp breath. Being asked in such a blunt manner in that sexy tone made Akiha so hard so fast he got dizzy. He could have Umeda naked and on his knees tonight. Oh hell...how could he pass that up!?

"Yes," Akiha agreed before he could rethink his decision.

Umeda smirked, kicked off his shoes, and strode off into the depths of his apartment. "What are you waiting for?"

Akiha scrambled to get his shoes off before hurrying after the doctor. "You are so mean!"

"No one has ever accused me of being nice! Hurry up," Umeda glanced back over his shoulder as he headed for his room. He stopped when he saw Akiha standing in place with one shoe off and one shoe on. "What's the matter?"

The blond swallowed hard. "I can't."

"What?"

"I want to make love to you…not sleep with you. I don't want just one night." Akiha took a deep breath. He kicked off his other shoe before padding over to where Umeda stood. Akiha pressed a kiss to Umeda's lips. "I want to romance you. I want you to fall in love with me."

Umeda would never admit to the warm, joyful feel that seeped through his chest like swallowing hot tea on a cold day. He licked his lips and pretended to think about it. He wasn't going to tell Akiha that he was already half way gone. That the last few years of constant badgering had somehow worked. Akiha had by some means become a part of his life without Umeda realizing it until it was to late. But hell, he could use some romancing. He wanted all that mushy shit. He fucking deserved it at this point in his life. Fuck, Akiha deserved it.

"Ok," he agreed.

The blond's eyes went wide. "What…?"

The doctor chuckled, slipped his hand around Akiha's neck, and drew him back in. "I want you to romance me." He kissed the blond, gently. "I want to fall in love with you." He closed his eyes and grinned into the ecstatic kiss he received in response. _I already have,_ he thought as he was kissed breathlessly. _I'll tell him eventually…after a few more dinners at Mama-san's restaurant._ "For now, let's pile up on the couch with some popcorn and watch Bladerunner."

"Do I get to cuddle you?" Akiha asked, so damn hopeful.

"No," Umeda scoffed. He rolled his eyes at the blond's downtrodden expression. "I will be cuddling you."

Akiha's expression lightened into a joyful grin. "I would love that."

"Hurry up then."

This time Akiha followed Umeda more than willingly into the doctor's apartment.

 **The End.**


End file.
